Privatizing Public Schools Opens School Doors to Corruption

The effort to
privatize public schools undermines the very nature of a democratic government,
replacing the sacred ideals of equality and shared fortunes with economic
privilege and greed.

Thomas
Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness.”

In addition,
the founders signed a solemn pledge at the conclusion of the declaration, “with
a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to
each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

In the attempt
to privatize public education, neither equality nor shared fortunes seems to
matter. This is especially true when it comes to publicly funded charter
schools run by for-profit companies.

In 2018, The
Washington Post reported that the Trump administration, led by Secretary
of Education Betsy DeVos, placed the privatization movement as a top priority.

Calling the
traditional model for public education a “dead end,” DeVos has pushed for more
public funding of both charter and private schools.

While many
public charter schools around the United States provide excellent opportunities
for students and families to enhance and expand their education, the problem
arises when for-profit businesses manage these schools with minimal public
oversight.

A perfect
example of this problem is unfolding in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma State Bureau of
Investigation (OSBI) has opened an inquiry into Epic Charter Schools – a
virtual school blending online and in-person instruction.

While they claim
to have drawn 10,000 students, which entitled them to tens of millions
of dollars in state funding, Tulsa World reported that search warrant documents indicated
OSBI is looking into potential fraud, embezzlement, forgery and willful neglect
by governing board members.

Suspicions
center around the allegation that Epic created “ghost” students to acquire
state funding.

In the
allegation, Epic is thought to have students doubly enrolled in both Epic and
other private schools.

Their claimed
enrollment would qualify the virtual school for state funds of $112.9 million
in 2019 alone, despite any evidence that these students ever received Epic
instruction.

Epic also is
accused of using public money for recreational expenses, such as dance lessons,
gymnastics and memberships for students.

According to
the Tulsa World, each Epic student had access to $1,000 annually and, after
deducting educational costs, Epic moved the remaining funds to a “Learning
Fund” to use them for recreational expenses. The allegation states that Epic
used millions of dollars to fund these extracurricular activities.

If these
allegations hold, then this provides an example of how public schools fall
victim to privatization. Potentially, millions of dollars have been diverted to
a for-profit business and away from public education.

These funds
could have been used in public school budgets to address deteriorating
classrooms, outdated textbooks and sluggish teacher pay.

Instead, they
were allegedly mismanaged and misappropriated to enhance profit margins.

If U.S. citizens
truly believe in equality and shared fortunes, as our founders did during the
17th century, then we must fully fund public education for the common good of
every child.

Rabbi Jesus
demonstrated for me the value of children when he declared, “Let the little
children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the
kingdom of heaven belongs” (Matthew 19:14).

He even sounded
a warning to those preying on children: “If any of you put a stumbling block
before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you
if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the
depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

We must never
let corruption and greed impede the progress of our children.

If Christians
are serious about welcoming children into their midst and creating a better
future for the next generation, then we must place all our efforts into
educating them.

In the United
States, we do this through our public education system. Therefore, let us
support the saintly men and women called teachers by providing them with the
best tools for learning possible, maintaining world-class facilities and pouring
a strong foundation for the future.

While
privatizing public schools with minimal oversight opens the door for
corruption, fully funding public schools opens the door to a bright future.